Birth Story of Sara Beth

Sara Beth
March 4, 1995
8 pound 11 ounce

Our daughter Sara Beth was born on March 4, 1995. We were so excited to find out that we were expecting again. I had to have my blood tested every other day to make sure that my HCG and progesterone levels would stay normal. I had had 2 miscarriages believed to be because of this. Our insurance had just changed so I had to leave the OB/GYN I had with my first 2 children which I was very upset about. We had to go with an HMO and the doctor that I was "assigned" made me feel like I was just one in a herd of cattle. I ended up seeing a nurse midwife who I just loved throughout the whole pregnancy but in the state where I live nurse midwives are not allowed to deliver in hospitals. Because I am a group B strep carrier I was afraid to deliver at home.

The pregnancy was pretty uneventful until 22 weeks when I started to go into preterm labor and was put on bed rest and meds to stop my labor. Bed rest is not easy with a toddler, luckily my hubby is a firefighter and he works for 24 hours and then he is off for 48 so it worked out well to have my Mom come when he was at the station. Finally at 34 weeks I was taken off all meds and then once again I was induced at 42 weeks.

The doctor put me into the hospital at 7:00 AM and started a pitocin drip. By 1:30PM I was only dilated to about a 2 and not having many contractions when I overheard the doctor out in the hall telling someone "my other delivery is over and I'm tired lets get this over with" at that time he came in and ruptured my membranes and pumped the pitocin way up. My labor kicked in hard and fast! My membranes were ruptured at 1:33PM and my daughter was born at 2:30PM. It was horrible. It went so fast and the pain was so awful I didn't think I could do it. After she was born the doctor handed her to the nurse and I heard nothing for it seems like forever and finally I heard the most beautiful sound in the world our daughter crying.

My placenta did not detach right away and the doctor took his hemostats and clipped then on the umbilical cord and wrapped them around a few times and pulled with all of his might for what seemed like a very long time. Finally my placenta came loose and it looked like something out of a horror movie blood shot out of me and just covered him after that I don't remember much of anything. My husband said that my blood pressure was 60/30 and they were calling to get blood for me. Finally I was stabilized after I'm not sure how long and they gave my daughter to me. All I can remember is that every time I tried to lift my head up to look at her, I would pass out. I was not able to nurse her until the day after she was born.

I feel like I missed out on a very special time because some doctor wanted to go home. Sara Beth was a very beautiful, healthy 8 pound 11 ounce baby and we went home 23 hours after delivery. I was still passing out when I would stand up and was bleeding very heavily but the HMO said I had to go. My wonderful husband was a much better care giver and nursed me back to health.